John Isner created ATP history to win 500 tie-breaks

• He defeated Emilio Gomez 7-6(8), 7-5.
• Isner attributes his success in tie-breaks to his experience.
• He surpassed Ivo Karlovic for the most aces on the ATP Tour last July.

John Isner created ATP Tour history during the Dallas Open as the first person to win 500 tour-level tie-breaks.

The achievement was accomplished by the American in the quarter-finals on Friday, when he defeated Emilio Gomez 7-6(8), 7-5. He had dug deep for No. 500, saving a set point at 6/7 with a second-serve ace down the T before converting on his tie-third break’s set point.

“I’ve won a lot of tie-breaks in my career, and I won a lot of them in the first set: 500 of them,” he stated during his on-court interview in Dallas, earning applause from his home fans. “I’m relieved that I didn’t have to win 501.”

On the Open Era list, Isner is presently 34 points ahead of Roger Federer, with Pete Sampras (328), Andy Roddick (303), Novak Djokovic (299), and Rafael Nadal (263) also in the Top 10.

Isner attributes his success in tie-breaks to his experience. No one has played more tie-breaks than him, with 819 contests in his career.

“Being in that scenario just comes with a lot of experience. “I’d love to win matches like Novak does, 6-,1 6-0, but that’s simply not my style,” he smiled. “A lot of times I live by the sword, like I have this week, and a lot of times I die by the sword. I accept both the good and the bad.

“I think being at home helps calm my nerves in those critical circumstances,” he added, referring to his perfect 4-0 tie-break record this week. “I’m incredibly thrilled and fortunate to have this competition here.”

In addition, Isner surpassed Ivo Karlovic for the most aces on the ATP Tour last July at Wimbledon. Since then, he has continued to add to his total, and he now has more than 14,000 aces.

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